HONDA CB400A

395cc Petrol Class 2

#2768 of 5426 overall #423 of 921 HONDAs #125 of 205 naked bikes

83.9%

first-time pass rate

7.9%

failed outright

19,493

median miles at test

341

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2011–2012

The CB400A's first-time pass rate has risen 7.3 points since 2011, 83.3% to 90.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CB400A's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CB400A passes first time 88.6% of the time; by 20k that's 73.6%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a CB400A

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects
steering and suspension	18	26.5
lighting and signalling	16	23.5
brakes	13	19.1
drive system	7	10.3
tyres and wheels	3	4.4
body and structure	3	4.4
lamps and reflectors	3	4.4
reg plates and vin	2	2.9
structure and attachments	2	2.9
sidecar	1	1.5

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the CB400A beats 3 of its 3 closest rivals (HONDA CB500, HONDA CB400, HONDA CB400N).

HONDA CB500 83.3% pass · 105k tests HONDA CB400 80.9% pass · 9,072 tests HONDA CB400N 77.5% pass · 5,366 tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the CB400A.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1979 (86.8% pass). Weakest: 1978 (74.5%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.